1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a windshield glass and a cowl louver for a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly to a connecting structure therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
In a vehicle such as an automobile, a windshield glass and a cowl louver located toward the vehicle front side are connected by a molding interposed therebetween. The cowl louver has, near an upper edge thereof, an engagement rib that protrudes inward of the vehicle and extends along the upper edge, and the molding has a fixed portion that is fixed to an inner surface of a lower edge of the windshield glass and a fitting portion that receives the engagement rib.
A pair of engagement claws that protrudes in a direction away from each other are provided at the tip of the engagement rib on both sides thereof in a width direction thereof, and a pair of engagement projections that cooperates with corresponding engagement claws is provided on an inner surface of the fitting portion. When the engagement rib is fit into the fitting portion up to a predetermined position, the cowl louver is connected to the windshield glass in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the windshield glass by a molding. Further, the respective engagement protrusions are engaged with corresponding engagement claws, thereby preventing the engagement rib from slipping out from the fitting portion.
For example, Published Japanese Translation of PCT application No. 2011-520694 (JP 2011-520694 A) described below discloses a connecting structure between a windshield glass and a water tank, the water tank corresponding to a cowl louver, in which one of the engagement projections is replaced by an elastically deformable engagement member that is fixed to the inner surface of the fitting portion. According to this connecting structure, since engagement means for cooperating with one of the engagement claws is an elastically deformable member, the engagement rib can be fit into the fitting portion more easily as compared to a case where both engagement means such as the projections are a part of the fitting portion and less elastically deformable than the engagement members.
The connecting structure of the related art includes a sealing member interposed between the lower edge end of the windshield glass and the upper edge of the cowl louver (water tank) such that the entry of rain between the cowl louver and the molding is prevented by the sealing member. Accordingly, the engagement claws provided at the tip of the engagement rib and the engagement projections cooperating therewith are not intended to exert a water preventive effect of preventing the entry of water via the clearance between the engagement rib and the engagement projections.
Accordingly, due to dimensional and geometrical tolerances of manufacture and assembly of each member and due to geometrical and dimensional changes of each member over time, a clearance may form between the sealing member and the upper edge of the cowl louver, which may lead to entry of water between the cowl louver and the molding. Consequently, the connecting structure of the related art for connecting the windshield glass and the cowl louver requires some improvement in terms of effectively preventing entry of water into vehicle interior.